Notices
Modified JK Tech Tech related bulletin board forum regarding subjects such as suspension, tires & wheels, steering, bumpers, skid plates, drive train, cages, on-board air and other useful modifications that will help improve the performance and protection of your Jeep JK Wrangler (Rubicon, Sahara, Unlimited and X) on the trail.

PLEASE DO NOT START SHOW & TELL TYPE THREADS IN THIS FORUM

Recomended upgrades after 4" lift.

Thread Tools
 
Old 12-03-2011, 10:00 AM
  #1  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
DvsKin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RI
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Recomended upgrades after 4" lift.

Hey guys, new to the forum. I just lifted my 07 2dr Unlimited X 4" and was wondering what order you guys would do the upgrades in? I plan on eventually doing gears, axels, lockers, and drive shafts all the way around. I have some $$ right now, and read that drive shafts are the most important for a 2dr lifted over 2.5". I was wondering if I would need anything else with the d/shafts. (adjustable control arms or anything else?)

Thanks again, and any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm new to the jeep scene, but I catch on quick..
Old 12-03-2011, 10:01 AM
  #2  
JK Freak
 
Deere_Jeep's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Bettendorf, Iowa
Posts: 949
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Welcome, the 2 dr guys will pipe up but one thing absent on that list is extended brake lines.
Old 12-03-2011, 10:16 AM
  #3  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
DvsKin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RI
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Yes, I forgot to mention those. Bought them when I purchased the lift. Also forgot to mention, 6spd manual tranny. Thanks for the quick reply, and the warm welcome!
Old 12-03-2011, 10:31 AM
  #4  
JK Super Freak
 
ChryslerChris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Welcome!

With 4 inches you'd want d shafts especially if you wheel. If you don't, you probably won't need DS's because you'll never flex out enough to have issues.

Do you have 35's or larger on? If so, sleeves and gussets for your front axle are recommended. Regear will help make things a lot more liveable for daily driving too.

Having said all that, everything is optional. People have not done any of the above and still done ok for years.
Old 12-03-2011, 12:43 PM
  #5  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
DvsKin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RI
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks for all the fast replies! I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused still. I have a rancho 4" lift, and when I installed it, it used the factory control arms, but relocated where they mounted on the frame. So would that mean I have to get rid relocation brackets that came with the kit in order to install adjustable ctrl arms? Sway bar was also dropped down from the original frame mount as well.
Old 12-03-2011, 01:48 PM
  #6  
JK Junkie
 
sringer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Whitefish,Montana
Posts: 2,261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Planman is the guru on 2dr an lifts. I'll let him be your main guy. You definitely want driveshafts tho
Old 12-03-2011, 02:00 PM
  #7  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
DvsKin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RI
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

So main thing to get right now is control arms and drive shafts, correct? I mine as well get all eight huh? I shouldn't need to go with high clearence ones should I? And I will most likely be using the factory mounts and getting rid of the relocation brackets?
Old 12-03-2011, 02:01 PM
  #8  
JK Freak
 
KCTW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Lanark IL
Posts: 740
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

You have heard from the master. Planman knows his stuff.
Old 12-04-2011, 08:21 AM
  #9  
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
 
DvsKin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RI
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks again everyone. Especially planman! Anyway, I was looking at the teraflex flex arm kit. Thinking about getting it, seems to be getting decent reviews. Is it with it to spend the $$ on the long arm kit? I won't be doing much wheeling, more daily user than anything. One more question about the track bar brackets. If I have a 4" lift on the jeep, is out safe to assume I already have the brackets? I know I don't have the adjustable arms, but the brackets should be there, no? I gonna climb/walk under it when I get out of work to look at it myself. Just wondering really.

Chad
Old 12-05-2011, 04:19 AM
  #10  
JK Junkie
 
JPop's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Lakewood, OH
Posts: 3,017
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by planman
Cragar 17x8 soft 8s with 4.5" backspacing. Tires were 35x12.50R17 Toyo MTs. They were too stiff for a light 2 door because they are load range E tires designed for lifted trucks. I later sold them to a 4 dr JK owner--who loved them--and I bought load range C, 37x12.50R15 Goodyear MTRs (now discontinued).

If I were to build over again with 35s on a 2 dr, I'd do 35x12.50R17 Goodyear MTR w/Kevlar (load range C), or I'd do 35x12.50R15s (all load range C). I like a smooth ride. If you do tires for 15" wheels, you want 15x8 wheels with 3.75" backspacing.
The Toyo 35x12.5x17s aren't the right tire unless you have added a lot of weight to your JK, at minimum 600lbs, but best at 800+lbs. Load Range is a pretty big basket (C,D,E) and much better to look at service description numbers. In round numbers, you can take the OEM tire service description, subtract the service description of the new tire and that will give you an idea of how much air pressure you will need to add/subtract from the door placard data for inflation rate. It's important because you may find yourself in a situation where the new tires won't support the needed inflation rate, or find yourself in a situation where you need to let so much air out that the contact patch will deflect for on road use. All tires are different, but if you end up with a calculated inflation rate below 25psi it's cause for concern and additional research.

These are the exact issues I had with two of the tires mentioned. With the 35x12.5x17 Toyo MTs they really couldn't be aired down enough for on road use as my JK was quite a bit lighter when I had them and the 35x12.5x17 Goodyear MTR Kevlars I can't put enough air in them to make them handle properly. Learning from experience and having to do it over again, I would opt for the LT315/70R17 Goodyear MTRs w/Kevlar (basically the same as the 35x12.5s) or make sure I had enough weight to roll the Toyos again.

Ideally I would like a tire with a service description in the higher hundred teens or lower hundred twenties. They would give me the flexibility to get the inflation rate in a reasonable range with whatever I decide to do when my wife and I get our second JK. As it stands now, it's just too much weight for the 35x12.5x17 Goodyear MTR Kevlars and I needed to resort to some other suspension tuning to make things closer to correct.


Quick Reply: Recomended upgrades after 4" lift.



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 10:33 PM.